第六卷 双雄会 第一百四十三章 平定北境

“That’s different.” Henipolis shook his head stubbornly. “What you tell me will carry your own opinions, and that will only cloud my judgment of the whole historical event and the battle process. Teacher Antistanos once said, ‘The eye is the best pen of a historian; it records everything without error.’ So I’ve decided that from now on, I will never leave your side!”

Henipolis looked at Davos, his eyes filled with stubbornness and a hint of cunning.

Davos sighed inwardly and said slowly, “Some things aren’t as you wish them to be. They are often beyond our control. Heni, I called you here now because I’ve just received news concerning Laüs…”

“What news?!” Henipolis asked instinctively, uneasy at the serious expression on Davos’s face.

Davos said gravely, “Your uncle Achradamas has launched a rebellion. He forcibly appointed himself magistrate of Laüs, declared Laüs seceding from the Daonia Alliance, and sent troops to attack the Lao River Fortress.”

“What?!” Henipolis could not believe his ears. “Uncle Achradamas has betrayed us?! Impossible! Impossible!…”

Seeing Henipolis shaking his head frantically and shouting loudly, Davos silently took out the intelligence he had received yesterday and placed it before him.

Henipolis snatched it up, read it through several times, and suddenly fell silent…

After a while, he choked out, “Why? Why would he do this?! He’s my only uncle, and I trusted him so much! I’ve trusted him since I was a child!…”

Davos looked at Henipolis, whose face was streaked with tears, and said softly, “People change. Especially when your uncle held great power and governed all the affairs of the city-state of Laüs, it’s hard not to have other thoughts. And if another force tempted him—Syracuse, for example…”

Henipolis listened with reddened eyes, and then suddenly remembering something, he jumped up and cried out, “Mother! My mother is in danger!…”

“Your mother is fine. According to reliable information, she is only being guarded by Achradamas’s people. Your uncle hasn’t harmed her in the slightest, after all, your mother was always very kind to your father’s younger brother,” Davos said, and when he saw Henipolis’s doubtful expression, he added, “Aristelas told me.”

Having lived in Davos’s residence for several years, Henipolis naturally knew that Aristelas was Davos’s intelligence gatherer, so he felt somewhat relieved. Then he said hatefully, “I must go back at once, retake Laüs, and severely punish that ungrateful traitor!” The betrayal by Achradamas had clearly broken his heart, and he could not even bring himself to mention his name.

“Fine,” Davos agreed, and reminded him, “Hemon, the Chief Magistrate of Nerulum, and Saru, the Chief Magistrate of Vergae, are both gathering their troops. Join them with your forces and attack Achradamas together. He certainly won’t be able to stop you. However—”

Davos changed his tone, “Back then, your father spared no effort to win Laüs’s independence from the Lucanian tribal alliance and managed it painstakingly for all these years. You wouldn’t want a war to cause heavy casualties among the people of Laüs and seriously damage the city, would you?”

Henipolis nodded repeatedly.

“Heni.” Davos looked at him and said seriously, “When you were in Laüs before, you wanted to push through some laws, but they were blocked by Achradamas and others. However, granting more rights to the common people of Laüs, so that they too can own land like Daonian citizens—that is the heartfelt wish of the majority of Laüs’s population! Previously, because Achradamas and his faction suppressed the news, the people of Laüs didn’t know the full truth. Now we just need to spread these facts, and the people of Laüs will know who truly cares for them! Who they should support! So you can do this…”

As Henipolis listened to Davos’s plan, his eyes gradually brightened. He immediately nodded and said, “Your Majesty, I will do as you say! I will make that man know that I was right all along!”

When Henipolis left, Davos gave him a firm hug and encouraged him loudly, “Heni, I wish you a swift and smooth retaking of Laüs! My secretary is still waiting for you to take office!”

Henipolis nodded with confidence. “Your Majesty, await my news of victory!”

…

Early the next morning, the Seventh Army Corps of Daonia and the army of Heraclea marched north. When they reached Metapontum, the city gates were wide open. The remnants of Tarentum’s troops and the pro-Tarentine Metapontines, like Isalocas, had already fled to Tarentum the night before.

The allied forces occupied Metapontum with ease. Matonis, the legion commander of the Seventh Army Corps who was eager to return to Thurii, had no desire at all for the power of temporary chief magistrate over the occupied territory. He directly handed over the defense of Metapontum to Triphyas, the magistrate of Heraclea, and then led his corps back.

Soon, the changes in Metapontum were detected by scouts sent by Tudeples. After making contact with Triphyas, Tudeples bid farewell to the people of Garagusus, who had taken them in, and promised that from then on, Metapontum would strengthen trade with Garagusus, especially in grain.

After returning to Metapontum, Tudeples, relying on the strong support of Daonia and Heraclea, resumed power. His first act was to lead the few remaining pro-Daonia members to avenge their murdered relatives and friends, thoroughly purging pro-Tarentine citizens within the city. Some were exiled, some arrested, some executed. For a time, Metapontum was engulfed in a bloody storm, and everyone felt endangered. After these repeated upheavals, Metapontum’s population plummeted and its strength was greatly depleted.

Just as the Seventh Army Corps was returning to Thurii, an envoy from Tarentum had already set foot on Thurian soil.

The previous day, news that “the Daonian fleet had won a great victory over the Syracusan navy and nearly annihilated Tarentum’s land and naval forces” had successively reached the city of Tarentum. It not only shocked the Senate but also alarmed the Tarentine populace, who feared for the safety of their loved ones while being terrified and uneasy. When rumors spread that “Daonia’s army was marching on Tarentum,” it triggered immense panic. Many people rushed home, packed their belongings, and headed for the harbor to board ships and flee the now poorly defended city.

In such a critical and dire situation, the Tarentine Senate had only one path—to sue for peace with Daonia.

To that end, without even convening the Assembly, the Senate urgently elected two provisional magistrates that very night: Dexithemas and Hestiarchos, the father of Archytas. The next day, they sent Hestiarchos as an envoy to Thurii, hoping that Davos might remember his old friendship with Archytas and treat Tarentum leniently.

Davos, well aware of Tarentum’s intentions, did not meet Hestiarchos at all. Instead, he sent Kynogoratas and Antistanos to negotiate with him.

Earlier, Antistanos had been treated rudely when he visited Tarentum. Now, seeing Hestiarchos humbly pleading with an anxious face, even the mild-mannered Antistanos felt a hint of satisfaction.

When Hestiarchos proposed that “Tarentum is willing to cease hostilities with Daonia and pay certain war reparations, and hopes that Daonia will release Tarentine prisoners of war,” Kynogoratas and Antistanos merely sneered.

Kynogoratas even mocked, “Daonia once had a treaty with Tarentum, but you ignored your sacred oaths and betrayed us when we needed your help the most! Now you want us to sign another agreement with you, so that while we are fully occupied dealing with Syracuse, you can attack us again? Do you think we are that stupid? To tell the truth, we don’t know if Poseidon is angry that you have defiled his holy name, but we certainly dare not trust you Tarentines again!”

Hestiarchos listened, filled with shame. He cried out bitterly, “Then what do you Daonians want from Tarentum?!”

“As long as this war is not over, Daonia will not sign any treaty with Tarentum. However, as for those more than 12,000 Tarentine citizens and nearly 2,000 sailors… well, Daonia is in the middle of a war and doesn’t have enough grain to feed them. Whether they survive until the war ends depends on whether you Tarentines can provide sufficient grain,” Kynogoratas replied coldly.

“I understand. Daonia wants our grain. Only with grain can the safety of Tarentine prisoners be guaranteed, isn’t that right?” Hestiarchos’s bitter voice carried a trace of sarcasm.

“Exactly. Mining requires plenty of stamina; otherwise, it’s hard to ensure health,” Kynogoratas said threateningly.

“Then when will they be released?” Hestiarchos asked again.

“Daonia will not release them before the war ends; otherwise, who knows whether they might take up shield and spear again and invade our territory!” Kynogoratas said solemnly. “Before that, Daonia will not sign any agreement with Tarentum. But as long as Tarentum remains quiet during this period, Daonia will not invade Tarentine territory. This is the personal promise of His Majesty Davos!”

At this, Hestiarchos was temporarily relieved of worrying about Tarentum’s safety, since Davos’s credibility was well known.